Vacuum sweeper



L. B. SALT VACUUM SWEEPER Jan. 16, 1945.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1943 Lioyol B. 80:25, 229 U.

Jan. 16, 1945. L. B. SALT VACUUM SWEEPER Filed Aug. 24, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I QQQQODOQ Jan. 16, 1945. LT 2,367,437

VACUUM SWEEPER Filed Aug. 24, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 0m Wm MANN L. B. SALT VACUUM SWEEPER Jan. 16, 1945.

Filed Aug. 24, 1943 4Sheecs-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 16, 1945 VACUUM SWEEPER Lloyd B. Salt, Chestnut Hill, Mass, assignor to B. F. Sturtevant Company, Boston, Mass.

Application August 24, 1943, Serial No. 499,782 1 2 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners or sweepers of the household type and has as objects the improvement of, performance and appearance of, the lessening of the noise of, operation of, and the increased ease of handling of such sweepers.

The ordinary vacuum sweepers of the household type represent compromises between appearance and function. For appearances sake the sizes of components have been reduced and their locations changed with sacrifice in performance. They are noisy in operation and the disposal of the electric cord, the hose and the other accessories represents a problem unsolved heretofore. Moreover in spite of such improvement in appearance as has been achieved heretofore, they are still undecorative machines to be hidden from view when not in use.

This invention provides a. vacuum sweeper which is a decorative piece of furniture; has a higher porformance than the prior sweepers; is quieter in operation and easier to handle than prior sweepers, and which provides storage space for the electric cord, the hose and all other accessories.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a projected view illustrating the external appearance of a vacuum sweeper embodying this invention, fitted with-electric cord and sweeper hose;

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking downwardly upon the sweeper of Fig. 1 with its hinged top in open position;

Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the sweeper of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2, and illustrates the inner end of an air outlet tube connected to the blower for sup plying air to an external tool, and

I Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the connection for the air outlet tube but with the tube removed.

The embodiment of the sweeper casing illustrated, is a substantially rectangular wooden box having the decorative outer walls Ill and the decorative, hinged upper wall or top H. It has the inner walls l2 of sound insulating material, the top ll having the lower wall l3 of the same material.

As illustrated the top I i has a decorative fabric cover I4 under which fibrous cushioning material i5 is enclosed. The top H is hinged at IE to one of the side walls ll] of the casing and has attached thereto the pivoted member I! for limiting the outward movement thereof.

35 the sleeve 25.

The electric motor l8 and suction blower l9 are mounted in one diagonal comer of the casing. The suction tube 20 extends from the fan-|9 into the aperture 2i in the end walls of one end of the casing. The pivoted cover plate 22 covers the aperture 2| when the sweeper is not in use and is adapted to be moved from over the aperture 2| to permit one end of a suction hose to be placed over the outer end of the tube 20.

The dust receiving can 23 is seated upon the lower wall l2 of the casing and has the tangential inlet tube 24 which is fitted into one end of the rubber tube 26 as shown most clearly by Fig. 2. The other end of the tube 26 is fitted over one end of the elbow 21 with the other end of the elbow being fitted within the outlet tube 28 of the fan I9. I

The can 23 has a cloth bag cover 29 having a lower flange which fits within a recessed flange 30 around the top of the can and which is held in place by the clamps 3| which are pivoted to the flange 30 at 32.

The rubber tube 26 has a circular opening formed in its outer wall midway between the tube 24 and the elbow 21 at the back side of the box and the metal sleeve 25 extends through an opening in the back side of the box against the tube 24 at, and in alignment with, the opening in the tube. A pivoted cover 5| with an inner facing 52 of rubber, normally closes off the sleeve and prevents the escape of air therethrough. When it is desired to supply air to a tool outside the box as for spraying, etc., the cover 5| is moved to one side and the tube 53 inserted into The inner portion of the tube 53 is angled as illustrated by Fig. 2 and has a portion which closes off the receptacle 23 from the tube 26 and which deflects the air from the blower l9 through the tube 53 into an external air outlet hose which is not illustrated.

The shelf 33 extends cross-wise the casing above the fan IS, the motor l8 and the tube 28 and has the several apertures 34 therein for the reception of the various suction nozzles used with the sweeper.

The inner end of the shelf 33 is supported from the front and back wall portions 35 of the casing through the upwardly extending boundary wall 36 which has the curved cut away portions 31 formed therein for the reception of the end porof the wall portions 35 as illustrated most clearly by Fig. 4 and may be adjusted as shown by the full lines of Fig. 3 to extend across the space above the can 23 or as shown by the dashed lines of Fig. 3, to extend above the fixed shelf 33. The openings 50 in the shelf 38 are for the insertion of fingers of the operator for sliding the shelf (Fig. 2).

The shelf 33 is located below the shelf 38, a

distance suflicient to permit the ends of the extension tubes which are fitted in the curved cutaway portions 31 in the wall 35, to extend under the shelf 38 when it is above the can 23. This permits the relatively long extension tubes to lie on the shelf 33 and the wall 36 and to extend into the space above the can 23.

With the shelf 38 placed above the can 23 and the nozzles and extension tubes in place on the shelf 33 as described, the suction hose 39 and the electric cord 40 can be coiled and placed on the shelf 38 and upon the accessories fitted upon the shelf 33. The cover ll may then be closed and the casing encloses all of the fittings and accessories.

The end wall of the casing opposite the one recessed to receive the inlet tube 20 of the fan i9, is recessed to receive the electric receptacle 4| for the reception of a plug on the inner end of the cord 40 for supplyin electric cur-rent through the cords 40 and 42 to the motor I 8. The pivoted plate 43 covers the recess in which the receptacle Al is placed, when the cord 40 is disconnected from the sweeper.

The bottom of the casing is fitted with the casters 44 so that the sweeper may be drawn by a pull on the hose 39 when it is connected as illustrated by Fig. 1, the sweeper thus being moved along .during its use by the person handling the hose.

A sweeper embodying this invention permits an improved functional layout. A larger fan, motor and dust receptacle may be used. Since the walls are sound insulating, the noise of operation is almost inaudible.

With the slidable shelf 38 moved above the shelf 33 as illustrated by the dashed lines of Fig. 3, the space above the dust can 23 is open for the removal or the can. Then as a result of the tangential connection of the tube 24 with the dust receiving can 23, by rotation of the can in a counterclockwise direction (facing Fig. 2 of the drawings) the tube 24 is withdrawn from around the tube 25 and the can 23 may then be lifted from the casing for removal of the dust. Then upon reinsertion and clockwise rotation, it is again connected through the tubes 24, 25, and 26, etc., to the fan.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration. it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact apparatus and arrangement of apparatus illustrated as modifications thereof may be suggested by those skilled in the art without departure from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vacuum sweeper container having a fanmotor unit in the lower portion of one end thereof and having a dust receptacle in the lower portion of the other end thereof, the combination of a shelf above said unit. said shelf having openings therein for the reception of suction fittings. and a second shelf slidable to a position above said receptacle for receiving with said first mentioned shelf, the electric cord of said unit, and slidable to a position above said first mentioned shelf for permitting the removal of said receptacle through the upper portion of said-container.

2. In a vacuum sweeper container having a fanmotor unit in the lower portion of one end thereof and having a dust receptacle in the lower poltion of the other end thereof, the combination of a shelf above said unit, said shelf having openings therein for the reception of suction fittings and having an upwardly extending wall at its inner end, said wall being indented for the reception of extension tubes, and a second shelf slidable to a position above said receptacle for receiving with said first mentioned shelf, the electric cord of said unit, and slidable to a position above said first mentioned shelf for permitting the removal of said receptacle through the upper portion of said container.

' LLOYD B. SALT. 

